a) Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a device useful for filtering fluid runoff from parking lots, industrial sites, and other potential surface runoff pollution sites. The device is particularly directed to a storm water drop inlet liner which includes replaceable filter cartridges. The filter cartridges are packed with a removable and incinerable filter media. The filter cartridges can be repacked with filter media and cycled through the drop inlet liner multiple times.
b) Description of Related Art
This field of invention is comparatively recently developed as it relates to the filtration of storm water runoff from land based surfaces in the public domain. Heretofor surface runoff from potentially toxic sites, i.e., surface mining, jet refueling, or other heavy industrial process, has been captured and filtered or in some respect cleaned prior to departing from the site. Additionally, with the recognition that heavily silt or debris laden runoff also caused downstream contamination of waterways, i.e., local dams and other municipal water control sites, filtering for debris and silt has been commonplace at construction sites.
Often times the filtering systems for toxic wastes have involved the retention of the surface water in a containment system, i.e., a walled fluid tight liner, surrounding the site. Such systems are common at fuel transfer locations (tank farms). The captured runoff is usually treated in a separator, perhaps a multicompartment baffle system which separates the water from the oil or lighter than water constituents. In other systems, the water is treated with additives to reduce or enhance the ph of the accumulated fluid or to neutralize a toxic element found in the fluid. Other systems may use flow through filtration to capture silt, debris, or other targeted toxins in the runoff.
More recently municipalities have begun identifying a much broader range of commercial facilities which are to be runoff restricted. These restrictions extend to the consumer and home level as well. Storm runoff cannot include motor oils, oil based cleaners, antifreeze/antiboil fluids, detergents, and many other potentially harmful toxins. It is well understood that any runoff is directed in its contaminated condition directly to streams, rivers, lakes, and other bodies of water from which fish, water, and other consumable items are harvested. The cumulative effect of contaminated runoff has contributed in large measure to the deterioration of the quality of the harvests in these common bodies of water.
Examples of the newly targeted commercial facilities which are runoff restricted include auto dealer and auto service oriented businesses. Automobiles use a variety of oil based fluids which are toxic as runoff. As a result, auto service related businesses are being required to contain runoff and to control the level of contamination in the runoff.